Cast Iron Chicken Breast

Name: Cast Iron Chicken Breast
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil (See Note 1); 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts ((4 breasts, about 4-6 ounces each)); 2 teaspoons garlic salt; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Can you believe that a juicy, perfectly seared cast iron chicken breast takes just 25 minutes to make?! With only 3 ingredients and this simple cast iron chicken recipe, you can make a flavor-packed dinner for your family. The best part is, this meal is healthy, delicious, and kids love it, too!

perfectly seared boneless skinless chicken breast on a serving plate with a fork.

Why We Love Cast Iron Chicken Breast

Easy and quick! 5 minutes of prep, 20 minutes of cooking, and dinner is done!
Pairs well with practically everything.
We just use simple seasonings. This way, the skillet chicken, tastes great with whatever you want to serve on the side. Steamed or roasted vegetables, cornbread, fluffy biscuits, potatoes, mac and cheese, rice… So many possibilities!!
It’s a lean, healthy protein that fits into many different diets and dietary lifestyles. It’s gluten free, dairy free, keto, low fat, and low in calories too!

Four juicy cast iron chicken breasts, plated.

INGREDIENT NOTES + SUBSTITUTIONS

Chicken Breast
Use boneless breasts, so they cook quickly and evenly. Tenderloins are a decent white meat substitute; the most important thing is to use poultry that is boneless and skinless.

Prefer dark meat?
If you like your poultry a little less lean, we have a recipe for cast iron chicken thighs.

Olive Oil – Corn, sunflower, and avocado oil are all relatively flavorless, relatively healthy substitutions.

Garlic Salt – A mixture of garlic powder and regular salt is a good DIY seasoning blend. Ratio-wise, you’ll want roughly three parts salt to one part garlic.

Uncooked food and bowls with spices for pan seared chicken recipe.

Does your family love skillet meals?

You can avoid washing a pile of dirty dishes by making your meals in one pan!

Start off your day with a hearty breakfast skillet of turkey sausage gravy and biscuits. Or, for an easy weeknight dinner, make our caprese chicken skillet dinner!

Helpful Tips for This Cast Iron Chicken Recipe

Here are a few of of our best tips for pan searing chicken:

Remove any excess moisture.

To start, pat the chicken dry with a paper towel on all sides. Not only does this help the seasoning stick, but it also helps to create a beautiful, even sear.

Uncooked seasoned poultry on a white platter.

Be sure the oil and pan are very hot.

A hot pan creates a good sear, which leads to juicy cast iron chicken breast! But you need the oil to be hot too. Otherwise, it will just soak into the poultry.

Leave the skillet uncovered.

Trapping moisture inside the pan causes the food to steam rather than sear. In the end, the chicken breasts will have an uneven texture and char.

Four raw boneless skinless chicken breasts in a black skillet.

Rotate the pan.

Another thing that will help create perfectly cooked cast iron skillet chicken breast is to rotate the skillet one quarter turn every few minutes.

Making a skillet chicken recipe on stove.

Inspect the chicken breasts before flipping them over.

Finally, don’t flip all of the pieces in one go – examine each individually before flipping. Even if they are similar in size, there is no guarantee they will all cook at the same rate.

Seared boneless skinless chicken in skillet.

Safety first – Check the internal temperature!

Do not skip this step! There is just too much risk of someone getting food poisoning from eating undercooked chicken. The only way to guarantee that the food is safe to eat is to use an digital food thermometer to test for doneness.

Cast iron skillet chicken breasts are safe to eat when the internal temperature at the thickest portion is 165°F.

Using an instant read digital thermometer to measure internal temp of boneless chicken breast.

Pro Tips

Cut very large pieces in half.

The measurements and timing for our cast iron chicken recipe are based on breasts that are 4-6 ounces each. Adjust the time appropriately for smaller cuts as well so that you don’t overcook them!

Keep an eye on the oil.

When the oil reaches a good medium-high heat, it’ll start to shimmer. This is exactly what you need for shallow frying. It’s hot, but it’s not quite at its smoking point yet.

Let the chicken rest before serving.

Let small cuts (8 ounces or less) rest for 5 minutes or so. Larger cuts will need to rest for up to 10 minutes. This is incredibly important to make sure all of that hard-earned flavor and juiciness doesn’t leak right back out of your cast iron skillet chicken breast!

Recipe FAQ

How do you cook chicken in a cast iron skillet without it sticking?

When you cook in cast iron, the seasoning works as a natural anti-stick coating. A well-cared-for iron pan develops a layer of seasoning after each use. Without it, you will have trouble with food sticking.

Is it better to bake or pan sear chicken breast?

In this cast iron skillet chicken breast recipe, we do both! The initial pan sear builds great texture and flavor, and secondary baking cooks the meat the rest of the way without losing any of the juices inside.

Storing and Reheating

This skillet recipe makes enough for 4 servings, so it’s great for small families. Or, if you are a family of two, there will be leftovers to use later in the week!

If you shred the meat, this skillet chicken is fantastic in salads, wraps, pastas, and sandwiches! You can even use it to boost the protein in a bowl of soup. It would be delicious in potato soup or Great Northern bean soup.

Any leftovers should be refrigerated in an airtight container. Be sure to use them up within 5 days.

Reheating Instructions

In the oven

Place the leftovers on a sheet pan, and cover the pan with foil. Place it in a preheated oven at 350°F. for 20 minutes or so, until your meal reaches that food-safe, internal temperature of 165°F.

In a cast iron pan

Another option is to put the leftovers back into your cast iron skillet. If you choose this method, you may need to add some water or broth to the pan, and definitely use a lid. You want that moisture to stay in the pan.

For Cast Iron Chicken, Renae Recommends

Here it is – The best pan seared chicken recipe. Just 3 ingredients and 25 minutes for a flavor-packed meal that everyone will love! It’s time to cook!